A child’s happiness shines through his or her smile and laughter. Consider the impact on your child’s self-esteem if those smiles fade or disappear due to gross neglect of their oral health.

Hence, as recommended by the American Academy of Paediatrics, parents should give early attention to a child’s oral health, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of healthy teeth. Teaching proper oral health care will instil in them a routine that will last well into adulthood. Hence, it is prudent that parents take an active role in promoting good oral habits in their children.

According to the World Health Organisation, dental caries is the most common and easily preventable oral disease in children, affecting over 500 million children globally, including infants suffering from early childhood caries. This condition can lead to debilitating consequences, such as pain, abscesses, loss of appetite, and infections. Tooth decay occurs when plaque forms as a result of food breakdown by bacteria in the mouth, which produces acid from sugars and starches. If left untreated, decay can progress to pulp infection, posing a challenge to the development of permanent teeth. Good oral health is important for overall health and provides benefits such as increased self-confidence and a higher quality of life.

Methods for teaching your child good oral habits

Because primary teeth are necessary for proper chewing, eating, and speaking, parents should encourage their children to develop good oral habits. Here are some ideas for teaching them good oral habits:

• Allow your child to see you brushing your teeth so that they can mimic you.

• Brush and floss your child’s baby teeth twice a day, beginning at a young age, with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

• Ensure that your child’s teeth are properly brushed. Assist younger children in brushing and flossing their teeth, or supervise them to ensure that all teeth are clean.

• Parents should wipe their infants’ gums with a soft, clean cloth after the first feeding and right before bedtime.

• Establish routine visits to the dentist by scheduling six-monthly dental visits. A trip to the dentist will make them realise the significance and necessity of oral health care.

• Limit their intake of sweet foods and beverages. Caries can be reduced by eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Tooth decay preventive measures

The first step in preventing caries formation is to practise good oral hygiene, such as brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and flossing primary teeth. To restore the surface of the tooth, parents should allow their children to use fluoride toothpaste and drink fluoridated water. If necessary, dental sealants can be applied at your dentist to the enamel of healthy teeth to protect them from decay. Dental fillings can keep cavities from getting worse and affecting permanent teeth. To reduce the risk of early childhood caries, teach infants to use a cup instead of a bottle with milk or formula before they are one-year-old.

Remember, as the Jamaican proverb says, “A nuh same day leaf drap it rotten.” Tooth decay or “rotten teeth” don’t happen the moment your child keeps you up at night because of a toothache. The process takes days to months to occur because of prolonged duration of bad oral hygiene that can be felt for years to come. Therefore, by teaching your children good oral hygiene habits, parents can protect their children’s smiles. I implore parents to support and enforce these guidelines, because practice makes perfect smiles.

This article was contributed by University of Technology, Jamaica, College of Oral Health Sciences student Melissa Frater-Evans and dentist, lecturer Dr Meleka Daley. For additional information contact Dr Daley at mbeckford@utech.edu.jm